I love Jesus, but Haven't Always Been This Way

I was born and raised in Southern California, the third of four children born to Bill and Arlene Ward. Early in life, I had no solid Christian examples. My parents, grandparents, even aunts and uncles didn't attend church except for weddings and funerals. My earliest recollection of personal Christianity is from the age of ten, when I attended a local church alone, while my father waited in the car.

The lack of a Christian anchor was apparent in my adult life. I scored high enough on my S.A.T. to qualify for MENSA, became a leader and received awards in nearly every group I joined, but stumbled through multiple failed relationships. I fathered/adopted three children who all left to live with their mothers. It was clear my life was still unfulfilled, that I was still seeking God in my life.

God allowed my life to reach its lowest ebb in 1986. With my children stripped away in a custody battle, my career shattered, and facing a military court martial, I spent one night in a psychiatric hospital on 'suicide watch' (description: someone sits in your room while you sleep, to make sure you don't try to kill yourself). My life was screwed up beyond all hope; I couldn't deny it. So one night I knelt in my closet and surrendered what was left of this shattered life to a God I hadn't yet met, and asked Him for forgiveness and strength.

And that's exactly what I received. God saved me in a mighty way at age 35, and filled me with the precious Holy Ghost and called me to ministry at age 45. Since then, I’ve been on fire for the Lord. I know my ministry is still forming, but in the meantime, I serve as a member of the ministerial staff, personal writer for the pastor, superintendent of Sunday School, editor of the church newsletter, church email administrator, and audio producer and cameraman for the church media ministry (wow!). I’ve even begun a Christian ministry via this internet blog, where the reader is encouraged to keep at their Christian walk 'Yet One More Day'. God has truly blessed me with an abundance of gifts, and I use what I've been given to serve Him.

But most of all, I love praising God, and telling others about how God saved a wretch like ME, so surely He can save them too.

I KNOW where my help comes from.